Realizations and Confessions

"Katsu Yurimaki," Misao said as she held three kunai in each hand. "I will be your opponent tonight, and I will kill you."

"Hmm, the time has finally come…to settle the score with the Oniwanbanshu," Katsu stated as he turned to his new opponent. "I've been waiting for you, Misao Makimachi. You have grown up nicely since I saw you last. You were just a little tot then. Your father would have been proud of you."

Three kunai landed in the spot that Katsu was standing in just before he jumped. When he landed on new ground, he couldn't find the ninja girl. He barely dodged her next attack with the other set of knives in her right hand. Three shallow gashes appeared on his arm as he smiled.

"I see," he said. "You have been training. Is it because Aoshi has sent you away?"

"Shut up! I will kill you!" Misao threw her last knives at him and then drew a kodachi that met Katsu's sword. Her voice was filled with anger when she spoke again. "You have no right to talk about my father or Lord Aoshi. I don't know how you know me, but I will end our relationship tonight." A strange smile came across Katsu's face.

"That is what your mother said." Misao's face went white, leaving an opening for Katsu to slice into the ninja's side. He laughed as Misao tried to stand. "I guess I hit a nerve. You really don't know what happened to your mother, do you?"

"My mother died because of an illness. What would you know of it?" Misao spat, trying to stop the bleeding. This only made Katsu laugh more.

"Is that what your father told you? Well, allow me to correct him. Let me tell you the story of how your father met your mother and his demise."

"What is it that you need to tell me, Aoshi?" Kenshin asked. Aoshi stood as cold as ever. However, Kenshin could tell that he was tense. "Have you come for Miss Misao?"

"I heard Misao was staying with you," Aoshi stated quickly. Kenshin was surprised at his tone of voice. He could tell that the Oniwanbanshu leader was trying to put on a strong face, but his voice was full of worry.

"Misao is fine. She has been training so she can come back to the Oniwanbanshu. She wants to be strong."

"That doesn't matter right now. Have you heard of a man by the name of Katsu Yurimaki?" Kenshin recognized the name as the person who was running the slave trade business. He remembered hearing about him during the revolution and from Misao. Why would Aoshi care about such a lowlife?

"If I remember correctly, the man was running a slave trade but was defeated by Misao on one of her missions."

"That is where you are wrong, Kenshin," Aoshi interrupted. "The man that Misao defeated was working under Katsu. Katsu got away." Kenshin gasped at the new information, but Aoshi wasn't done yet. "Katsu has ties to the Oniwanbanshu, more so to Misao's father who was my predecessor. Unfortunately, those ties had bad knots in them."

"Is Miss Misao in danger, Aoshi? What happened?" Kenshin was frantic by now. If Misao was in trouble, then Kaoru could be in the crossfire.

"I will tell you everything I know…while we track Katsu down."

"Track him down?" Kenshin didn't know what Aoshi meant by that, but it couldn't be good.

"Sources tell me that Katsu has made his way to Tokyo."

"Your father and I made an alliance back in the Tokugawa Shogunate. He protected my slave trade, and I made him a bundle selling them. I even introduced him to hundreds of women. He was quite the womanizer." Misao could only growl at his words. She was still trying to stop her wound from bleeding, but the red liquid kept dripping over her fingers. "That's where he met your mother."

"You're lying! Why should I believe you?" Misao yelled. This made Katsu smile even more.

"I was the one that introduced them. Your mother pleasured your father so much that he fell in love. I couldn't have that. So I had my top assassins search for them. Your father killed all of them. Then he took his little family and ran. They evaded me for six years. Then I found them in a little hut near Kyoto taking care of their precious daughter. I decided to wait until dark."

Misao stood in shock as she imagined the scene. This man slashing through her father and mother. She couldn't stand it.

"I was about to take you when someone else appeared. That damn Shinomori caught me. He defeated me and put me in that wretched prison for ten years. It was all because of your family that I lost my business. I almost lost it again when you intervened. So now I'm going to take my revenge." He stepped back towards Kaoru and grabbed her. "Maybe I'll use this bitch here to start a new business. She seems to be fruitful." He started sniffing her neck and shivered. "Smells nice."

"Let her go," Misao shouted. "Your fight is with me." The man laughed again.

"Why are you even fighting? Is it for her?" Misao looked at the ground and then at the man's eyes.

"I'm fight for the Oniwanbanshuu," she proclaimed. This only made the man laugh.

"What a joke. I heard you were expelled by Shinomori himself. He must hate you. Why fight for him?"

"Because I love him, and I know how much he cares for me. I should have never doubted him. He taught me everything I know. I know now that I was stupid and ignorant. I have others to take care of. If I'm just a child about everything, then I won't be able to protect them. That was what he wanted me to learn. He would never abandon me."

"Well then," Katsu said as he pulled something from his back. "Let's see if he ever comes." He pulled his sword and charged at Misao, hitting all of her pressure points. It felt as if lightning had hit her. She looked towards the man and saw his sword sparkle. "I am an expert at pain. My sword was charged with electricity. When I hit your pressure points, the sword sent electric currents throughout your body. Now I can set them off when I hit you. I'll just do it with this." He hit her with a whip over and over again, the pain intensified by the electricity. She couldn't stop screaming as he kept asking, "Where is your precious Shinomori now? Why hasn't he come to save you?"

He continued to hit her until he knew she couldn't feel any more pain. He could see that she had lost so much blood from the flogging and battle. He knew she was done. He drew his sword as he kicked her over to look up at him. He then raised it, ready to take her head. This is it, she thought. I'm really going to die. Lord Aoshi isn't coming.

"I'll tell you what I'll do," Katsu stated. "I'll let you live if you denounce that damned Shinomori and come work for me. You could live a luxurious life just like your father." Misao looked at him with tears in her eyes. "That's it. Just admit he abandoned you."

"I would rather die then deny Lord Aoshi. Go to hell!" He was angry yet happy. He could finally be rid of the Makimachis.

"You first. Say hello to your parents for me." He brought the sword down as quickly as possible. There was a flash of silver then blood splatter. Misao looked up to see what had just happened. Katsu had been cut in half, and behind him was the cold face Aoshi Shinomori. She tried to reach up to him as she looked with dull eyes.

"Lord...Aoshi," was all she could mumble before her hand dropped to the ground.

I know. Long time no see. I was just sitting here, studying for CJ when I got some ambition. Hope you like it. Cya.

P.S. Sorry about the cliffy.